Stages of Grief
by LiveLaughLovex
Summary: According to psychology books and psychologists themselves, there are five stages of grief following the loss of something that held importance to you. These stages seem to stretch out forever when that thing happens to be a person. Follow Caroline Forbes, the cheerleader who always seemed to have it together, as she learns that the stages of grief can, at times, lead to joy.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I hope you enjoy :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, nor do I own The Originals. I am not affiliated with those corporations that do, and receive no profit for the publication of this fan-written work. **

According to psychologists, there are five stages to grief.

It begins with denial. You deny that it ever happened, and, for a while, the concept that life has changed, that you have changed, does cease to exist. That is, until you realize that you can't hide from reality. Well, that's how the doctors say it. But then again, they don't understand that you don't hold on to something gone because your brain tells you to. You hold on because it hurts like hell to let go. You hold on because admitting that your world is broken is admitting that you, too, are broken, and no one wants to be the fragile person that everyone fights to protect, no matter what that means.

The next stage of grief is, as follows, isolation. You isolate yourself from what life once was. You hide from the people you once knew, because, again, you cannot imagine accepting the fact that something vital, nearly as important as breath, is gone from your life. And so, you hide. You run like hell, and as childish as it may be, it's also a way to survive in the bitterly cold wilderness that is reality.

The third stage of grief is anger. You're pissed off at the situation, pissed off at the world, pissed off at the person who left. It's not logical, but it sure as hell is emotional, which means that you hold onto your anger much as you once did your denial; it's like a rope and you're drowning out at sea. It's a lifesaver, but eventually, the waves you escaped come crashing down and you're caught in the tide.

The next step is bargaining, or blaming yourself for a loss you had no control over. It's like being angry at the dead, although at least the subject of your anger is alive. But what doctors again fail to realize is that, for humankind, it's second nature to blame ourselves. We do it every day.

The fifth step is depression, an emotion felt throughout every step. Denial and isolation are caused by depression, and the anger is a way of allowing the world to see how deeply broken you are. The bargaining is a way to make yourself feel guilty, praying for that emotion, one of the very few you'll feel that will allow you to breathe.

The sixth, and final, step is acceptance. It comes after days, weeks, months, years. It hurts like hell but it's possible to survive. It's proof that you fought a battle with yourself, your mind, your soul, and you survived.

Caroline Forbes wasn't sure what stage of grief she was at. She stared with numbness coursing through her veins as an officer handed her a flag. As he walked away, she allowed a lone tear to travel done her cheek, dampening the pristine cloth of the flag. Other than that, though, she was absolutely still.

She didn't know what to feel. She had left her mother in a time of need, gone with the man who made her feel as if she had betrayed a relationship she wasn't even a part of, and now, she was all alone, lost in the world of her thoughts, caught up in her own mind. She didn't feel Stefan kiss the top of her head or Elena clasp her hand. She didn't think when Damon hugged her tightly and murmured his apologies. She only wanted one set of arms around her, and they were thousands of miles away.

It was nearing dusk when Stefan finally walked out of the home she had shared with her mother, a sympathetic smile on his features. "Caroline," he said softly, and she spun, displaying her tear-stained face. "We need to talk."

She agreed. Of course she agreed. It was Stefan Salvatore, the man she had once wanted. Now that he was about to admit that he wanted her, though, she knew that she was going to break them both, end a friendship that had survived more than she had ever thought possible.

"Listen, we need to talk about what that kiss meant. I know this isn't the best time, but I need to know."

She shook her head, laughed mirthlessly. "No time is going to be better than this, Stefan. Not now." She stared out at the trees that were coming back to life, finally out of their hibernation period brought on by winter. She glanced back at him. "Listen, I wish I could tell you that my feeling haven't changed since that night when I was absolutely head over heels for you, but they have. I was a human, Stefan. I wanted someone who wanted me, and as much as it kills me to walk away from the thing I thirsted for just a few years ago, I have to."

He nodded, his face set in the mask she had seen him wear on countless occasions. "Why?" he murmured, and she smiled, shook her head, and reached out her hand.

"Things change, Stefan. Right now, in this moment of agony and loss, I don't want to be here. Sure, it would bring comfort, but not to me. I can't cope with being around people who don't understand how I feel. And so I'm leaving. Stefan, I'm running away, because what he and I shared, it was real. And you can't walk away. You can't walk away if it's real." She looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"You wanted him forever, Caroline. He's your best friend and the love of your life. I can't tell you not to go. In fact, you should. You deserve happiness, especially after this tragedy. So go. I'll make your excuses."

She stared at him, smiled. "I'm going to do this, aren't I?" she murmured.

"You sure as hell better," he murmured, grinning as he walked away.

It was nearly midnight when her bags were packed, stuffed into her trunk without much care. She was driving, which was probably not her best decision, but it guaranteed that she would arrive faster. She took a deep breath, smiled in her rearview mirror, and reached for her phone, dialing a number.

"Hello?" he answered, and she felt tears prick her eyes.

"Klaus, hey," she said, trying to remain upbeat. "Is that invitation to join you still open."

His reply was instantaneous. "Of course, love."

"Good, then. I'm coming home, Klaus. I'm coming to you."

**A/N: Not edited, may not leave it up. Oh, well. For being written during a thirty-minute lunch period, I'm satisfied with it. Please review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading, following, and adding to your favorites! It means the world to me! **

**Responses:**

**Elisalolo6120: Thank you for your sweet comment, and I hope this chapter answers your question!-K**

**Disclaimer: I in no way own TVD or TO. Please don't sue me; I would have to bust out the four pennies in my piggy bank. **

"Where are you going?" Hayley asked, Hope balanced on her hip as she stood to face her daughter's father. They had been here, with their daughter, for only two days, and yet Klaus felt the need to leave in the middle of the night?

"I have a friend coming into town. Do you wish for me to take Hope with me?" he asked, although he dreaded the thought. Placing his baby in danger was far from being on the list of things he wished to accomplish.

"No, I'll take care of her. The friend-It's Caroline, isn't it?" Hayley asked.

Klaus smirked. "How did you know?" he questioned, and he really wondered. Hayley hadn't spent much time around him when he was with Caroline.

"Oh, please, like you would change your plans for anyone else. She's coming into town? Why?" Hayley questioned, placing Hope in her carrier on the coffee table.

"I don't know, Hayley, and frankly, I do not understand why you care. You cannot stand Caroline Forbes, one of the many reasons it shocks everyone that I became sexually involved with you, and the only reason I find no regret in the act is the fact that, without it, Hope wouldn't be alive right now." He smiled at his daughter. "Do you have any issue with Caroline staying here?" he questioned. He wouldn't listen if she did, but it was his duty, having been the father of her child, to at least attempt to make her happy.

"No, of course not. It would be like you having problems with Elijah being here," Hayley threw over her shoulder, toting Hope up the stairs.

Klaus stared up after them, wondering what Hayley meant by that. He sincerely hoped she didn't intend to have relations with his brother while she was engaged; he would hate to have to end the life of Hope's mother, as idiotic as Hayley was at times. Shaking his head, he ignored the thought and grabbed his jacket, heading for the door-and to his Caroline-as he climbed behind the wheel and drove to a nearby gas station that was on the path from Virginia and waiting, as it seemed he always did, for Caroline to return to him.

It was nearly one in the morning when she arrived, sliding from the car and heading into the gas station, adorably rumpled from the long drive. He smiled as she entered the gas station, glancing behind her as she did so, and then climbed from the car when, after several minutes, she exited the place.

She caught sight of him immediately, smiling as she saw him look at her with adoration in his eyes. Yes, Klaus was deadly, even when it came to those he loved, but the fact that Caroline walked towards him with no fear, only caring and adoration in her eyes, made him believe that she wouldn't mind that much.

"Klaus," she breathed, in a way that only Caroline Forbes could. He had no idea why, but she had changed him for the better. Before Caroline, he never could have been an adequate parent to the baby sleeping at home at that moment.

"Hello, love. It was a long drive, I imagine."

"It's about to be longer, I'm guessing." She sighed as she looked up at him. "You're going to tell me it's not safe to be in the city, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am, because it is not safe to be in the city. Hayley and I lost our daughter due to the crimes going on there, Caroline, please don't allow me to lose you as well." And as she looked at him, allowed herself to see the vulnerability in his eyes.

She sighed, glancing back at her car. "I don't want to drive anymore, Klaus."

"I'll send Rebekah for it."

"Oh, please, Rebekah hates me. She'll purposely crash it into a tree or- something like that- and I like this car. Just leave it here and you can bring me tomorrow to get it," she suggested.

"I could send one of the hybrids," he suggested, but backed off at her threatening glare. "Relax, love, I didn't mean to rile you up. In fact, I don't have any hybrids anymore, aside from Hayley, and due to the fact that she continues to break my eldest brother, she is obviously far from taken with me."

"That's good. I never was good at sharing," Caroline teased, sliding into the passenger seat as he held the door to her side open. "Why, thank you, kind sir," she giggled, glancing in the backseat and frowning.

"Don't mention it yet, love. We don't know who's listening," he murmured quickly, and she nodded, content but impatient for him to explain why there was a hot pink infant car seat in the backseat of his very large, very expensive Suburban.

"Okay, we are five miles away from that gas station. Can you tell me now?" she questioned finally.

He sighed. "Of course. Hayley and I sent our daughter away for her safety, mourned her to ensure it, and were reunited with her just two days ago. She's a precious child, and I hope you will meet her and love her as we do."

"I'm sure I will."

"She's part of Hayley," he warned.

She scoffed. "Hayley is a survivor. She may act like a bitch sometimes, but I know that move. It's what people do when they get hurt again and again; they hide until the pain is gone. It doesn't mean that she hates the world, although, in her shoes, I would. It just means she went through battle after battle, and she survived."

"Wow," he chuckled, and she glanced at him.

"Okay, you know what, I can care about anyone when I take the time to. I care about Rebekah, too, you know. And it must be nice for her to have Hayley and Hope around; she's no longer outnumbered by men." Caroline chuckled.

"Why did you come here, love?" he questioned softly, broaching the subject that they had been ignoring.

"My mom's gone," she whispered, and he glanced over at her, his eyes full of concern. "I just-I was so close to turning it off, Klaus. I wanted to. I wanted to feel nothing. And then I thought of how you called me the light, and I couldn't do it. So I ran from the place I shared with her, and I came here."

He nodded. "I'm glad you did."

"So am I," she murmured as they pulled down the road where his house was.

"Hi," Hayley said dully, exhaustion on her features as she met them at the door, a tired smile on her face. "Hope has been up forever, and it's getting ridiculous. I mean, I love her, but I have not slept in nearly two days."

"She's a baby," Klaus said, waving it off.

"She may have colic," Caroline offered, glancing through the doorway. "You have pink in your house?" she teased, turning to Klaus.

"I have a daughter. She has taken over the house," Klaus said, no accusation in his words. "Come in, please," he said, helping her over the clutter in the middle of the room.

"What if people find you?" she asked, stroking a finger down Hope's belly, which was covered with a floral dress. "She's precious and perfect," she whispered, and Hayley murmured a thank you.

"Then I will find a way to make their deaths long and agonizing," Klaus said, and Caroline involuntarily shivered.

Klaus was as protective of his daughter as he once was of his hybrids, if not more so, and Caroline smiled as she watched him hold the baby. He looked like a father, a brother, a friend. He looked like the man she had fallen in love with.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for reading; I got nearly fifty reads today! Yea! **

**Disclaimer: I really need to keep those four pennies in the bank, so I guess I'll admit that I didn't write the shows. *cries in corner* **

**Side Note: I don't know how old Miss Hope really is, but in this, she's four-five months old. **

There was something about spending time with Klaus's daughter that made Caroline wish that she was human, even if only for a few moments. Hayley understood this, since she was incapable of having another child as well and often spent time upstairs so that Klaus and Caroline could care for the baby on their own. Elijah and Rebekah, having only discovered Caroline's arrival when they walked down the stairs at five in the morning, which was four hours earlier, also stayed scarce, and Elijah and Hayley were upstairs while Rebekah went shopping, claiming that Hope could never have enough clothes.

"Is she awake?" Klaus murmured as he carried a cup of hot tea into the living room and sat it down next to Caroline's chair.

"No, she just went to sleep," Caroline whispered, rocking the baby back and forth slowly as she did so. "You know, I can't decide whom she looks like. She's a perfect mixture of both of you." Caroline stood, the baby cradled in her arms. "I think you and Hayley are great parents, if my opinion means anything," she murmured shyly.

"It means everything," Klaus said, truthfulness in every word as he accepted his daughter. "Caroline, we are eventually going to have to talk about this."

"I know, I just can't right now. Okay?" she said, and he nodded.

"All right," he replied, bouncing Hope in his arms. "I can't believe that she's here sometimes," he confessed. "For the first four and a half months of her life, she was absent from my home, and I listened to Hayley's cries and Elijah's murmured words of comfort every night. Now, though, I think that living with Hope in the wilderness wouldn't be the worst idea."

"Why?" she questioned.

"Elijah and Hayley were together for a while, of course, and when she had Hope and transformed into a hybrid, he loved her still. But she's engaged to another man for the safety of our daughter."

Caroline sighed. "Of course she is. I'm sorry, Klaus. Elijah doesn't deserve that. Neither does Hayley. I wouldn't wish a loveless marriage upon my worst enemy," Caroline said sadly. "I hope it'll turn out in their favor. They both deserve happiness." Caroline glanced up the stairs. "Elena asked about him, you know."

"She did? I was under the impression that she didn't care."

"Elena cares about everyone. She even cares about you in a twisted way, simply because I do. She cares about Damon, even though he's an ass, and she cares about Elijah because…" Caroline paused. "Okay, I don't know why she cares about Elijah, but I do know that she cares."

"You care about Elijah?" he questioned.

"He's your brother, and he saved my friend's life. I care about him the same way that you do." Caroline smiled at Hope. "She's preciously perfect, aren't you?" she said, smiling as she held her in her arms again. "So, any hot dates I need to be aware of?" Caroline teased.

"Any hot dates? No. Woman I have seen since I left Mystic Falls? Yes."

"I should have expected that, huh?" Caroline said.

"No, Caroline, of course not. It meant nothing."

"Well, of course they did. Have you met me? I'm epic," she teased, and Klaus grinned at her antics. "I haven't been with anyone since that day in the woods. I mean, I kissed someone, but that was in an emotionally charged moment when I was nearly insane." Caroline sighed. "And before you think about it, you are not allowed to kill him."

"I don't have the right, do I?" Klaus said with a smirk.

"You may have it soon," Caroline said, cautiously, looking up at him shyly as she smiled at Hope. "We need to talk, you're right," she murmured.

"Aren't I always?" he teased.

"How do I deal with your ego now?" Caroline groaned, smiling at the baby once again. "Never date a guy who has a big ego like Daddy, okay?" she said to Hope, who gurgled and smiled up at her.

"Miss Forbes," Elijah said smoothly, wandering down the steps.

"Hey, Elijah, how are you? Please, call me Caroline," she said distractedly, trying to keep Hope from nibbling on her necklace.

"I'm fine, thank you. Niklaus didn't inform us you were coming," Elijah said, glancing up when Hayley walked into the room.

"I was a surprise, didn't really give him a warning. I'm sorry if I imposed," Caroline murmured.

"You didn't impose," Rebekah said, walking into the room. "You lost someone dear to you. Nik told us. I'm very sorry, Caroline."

"Well, thank you, Rebekah." Caroline smiled as she looked at Hope. "Hayley, your daughter is asleep."

"Oh, I think I love you," Hayley whispered, approaching them and taking Hope from Caroline's arms. "She doesn't sleep," Hayley murmured to Elijah, who nodded. Caroline narrowed her eyes at the awkwardness between them and shot Klaus a look.

He shrugged and made a gesture of confusion before turning back to his baby and her mother. Hayley was swaying, the baby against her shoulder. Hope was still peacefully asleep. "Is she ready to return to her crib?" Klaus questioned, and Hayley glanced at him.

"She's fine right here. Apparently Caroline is a baby whisperer."

"My mom's sister has eight kids. I have a lot of experience." Caroline brushed her hair off of her face.

"Eight children?" Rebekah asked, blanching. "That sounds horrid."

"They're very Catholic-and possibly insane-so I guess for them, it's normal. The oldest child is two days older than me, and the youngest is three weeks old." Caroline smiled as Hope over Hayley's shoulder. "Unlike them, though, Hope can sleep. Gracie, their toddler, didn't sleep even when people held her all night long."

"That sounds horrible," Hayley said.

"Oh, it was, especially when I was human and staying up with her. Your daughter is waking up," Caroline said, and Hayley groaned as Hope whined and reached for Caroline.

"Okay, I will take the baby, and you," Caroline pointed to Elijah, "and you," she pointed to Hayley, "go outside and have this really cool thing called a freaking conversation. God, I could cut the awkwardness and tension with a knife. It's more awkward than the time the prom king proposed to the prom queen in front of his girlfriend, and that was awkward."

Hayley and Elijah glanced at each other, then at Caroline, and finally at Hope. They both finally nodded in resignation as they exited the home.

"I've been trying to do that for days," Rebekah said in shock.

"She's marrying someone else. She can call off her marriage, marry the guy and have an affair, or let Elijah go and be happy. Personally, I think she should do the last one," Caroline said as she bounced Hope in her arms.

"Why?" Klaus asked with interest.

"She loves him, right? They can't be together, and it wouldn't be fair for her to lead him on."

"Elena and Elijah are good friends, right? Can you call her to come down here, or do the Salvatore brothers have her tied down?" Rebekah asked, frowning at their shocked looks. "What? I can be more than a heartless bitch, you know, especially when it comes to Elijah. He and Elena are nearly as close as he and Hayley are, and with the loss of Katerina, I believe it would be good for him."

"Next, you'll say that Kol and Bonnie would be good together," Caroline scoffed.

"No, I find him to be most happy when he's with Davina." Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'm not accepting Elena, Caroline, I'm accepting the fact that my brother does."

"Okay, it's still scaring me." Caroline bounced Hope in her arms. "Maybe I could call Matt, bring him down here, as well?" she suggested, smirking at the look of happiness on Rebekah's face.

"That would be acceptable. I must put these away," Rebekah excused herself, carrying the bags of clothing she had bought for Hope up the stairs.

"Miss Hope, you are going to sleep, right? Miss Caroline loves you, already, but she's also tired. Mommy is tired, and Daddy is tired, and you've worn out Miss Caroline, so you need to stick with keeping Elijah and Rebekah awake, all right," Caroline cooed, carrying the baby to her crib in the corner.

"As soon as that baby goes to sleep, you have to tell me about everything that happened while we were gone," Rebekah said, descending the stairs as Elijah and Hayley walked back in, both of their faces grim.

"Yes, I believe that would be interesting," Elijah agreed, rubbing a hand over his face as he sat down on the sofa, as far away from Hayley as possible.

If they were going to get through this without murder, they would need wine.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Please review! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is three days late. I'm sorry! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own this!**

**Note: This fanfiction's Pinterest account can be found on my Pinterest board, LiveLaughLovex. **

Caroline stared off into the sunset. Elijah and Hayley had begrudgingly gone to the store together for wine, while Rebekah had locked herself in her bedroom and called Matt's number. Hope, Klaus, and Caroline had been downstairs together, but Hope had needed her diaper and clothes changed, and so Klaus had left her with her thoughts several minutes before. Any other time, such an action would not have led to tears falling down her cheeks. But the loss of her mother several days before would never truly heal, and pretending it had was childish.

"Love, are you all right?" Klaus said behind her, Hope cradled in the crook of his arm. The child was happy as could be now, dressed in a pale pink cotton sleeper with a pacifier adjusted in her mouth. Klaus had a blanket draped over his shoulder, as well, and the sight made Caroline smiled as she reached for Hope.

"I'm fine. Well, I will be. It's helping, being here," she said softly, kissing the top of Hope's head. "She's the best grief medicine there is, isn't she?" she chuckled, rocking back and forth on her heels as Hope cooed into her neck. "It's a blessing that you get to spend every day with her." She glanced at Hope. "It's hard to believe anyone would want to harm her," she said, a frown on her face.

"People are idiotic at times, Caroline. Hayley and I would never allow harm to befall her, though. We made a promise that we would give our lives before we would allow anyone to put hers in danger."

Caroline smiled up at him. "You're thinking like a father," she said softly, just as the car pulled up and Hayley climbed from it, tears falling from her eyes. Elijah looked grim as he turned the ignition and the engine flipped, causing silence to fill the air once again.

"What's wrong?" Caroline asked in concern, watching as Hayley hurried past her and Elijah followed, several grocery bags and several bags from a liquor store in tow.

"She's betrothed," Elijah said quietly as he passed them into the house.

Caroline glanced at Klaus blankly. "I believe you modern people would call it 'engaged'," he said, and she nodded in understanding.

"Well, he knew that, right? He can't get angry about something he already knew. It is against the rules of anger."

"There's a rulebook for anger?" Klaus asked, amused.

"There is a rulebook for everything. They have wine and food, though, so I am not going to get mad that you didn't know there is a rulebook for anger. What does Hope eat?" she questioned.

"Formula," Rebekah said, walking down the steps with a smile on her face. "Matt says hello, Caroline," she said to the other blonde in the room.

"That's a nicer response than I got from Damon, who told me that if I wanted to leave, I should have at least had the decency to tell Elena." Caroline rolled her eyes. "Elena ended up apologizing for him."

"You mean like she always does?" Rebekah asked sarcastically, causing Caroline to laugh as she nodded.

"Yes, like she always does. Hope, don't you want to go see Mommy? She's about to be down here," Caroline said to Hope, who fussed as she tried to lay her down on the sofa. "Okay, fine, you can come with me while I make you your bottle, okay?" she said, and Hope, although she couldn't have had any clue what was going on, nodded against her shoulder.

Dinner, which was prepared two hours later by a tense Hayley and a grim Elijah, consisted of salad, breadsticks, and homemade lasagna. Rebekah poured them all glasses of wine while Caroline held Hope and leaned against the counter, talking about what had happened in New Orleans. The little girl had grown attached to Caroline quite quickly, something that wouldn't have concerned her if it wasn't for the fact that Hayley was likely to grow angry.

"Now that we've eaten and there is a plentiful supply of wine, will you please tell us what has happened since we left?" Rebekah said, her voice exasperated.

Caroline smiled. "A lot has happened since you left, even since you left after you came back after you and Matt went all over Europe."

Rebekah nodded. "I figured that one out on my own, I just want to know what happened. Did Katerina finally meet her match?" she questioned.

"If you're asking if death was her match, it wasn't the first time. She met someone who could make her a traveler and put herself in Elena's body. By the time we realized it, she had to be killed in order for Elena to come back." Caroline bit her lip and glanced at Elijah, surprised to see that his eyes only seemed to hold concern for Elena.

He caught her eye and gave her a sad smile. "I knew who Katerina was, Caroline. There is a difference between loving someone and loving all of their qualities. Was Elena all right?"

"She was, aside from a virus that Katherine stuck her with. She's fine now, though. She and Damon broke up seventeen times in the past three months. I don't think it'll last very long this time, either."

"What happened with everyone else?" Hayley asked, glancing around when everyone looked at her strangely. "What? I was there for a while, too, you know."

"Um, in relation to Tyler, he dated a girl named Liv. They broke up recently. He also tried to kill me, but Stefan punched him in the face and it was over. Um, Matt is finally back to who he was. He was sad for a little bit, but he said that talking to Rebekah helped. His friend, Nadia, was Katherine's daughter, as well as the reason she sacrificed herself. Nadia had a wolf bite that wouldn't heal, and she ended up dying from it."

"What else?" Rebekah asked expectantly.

Glancing around at the expectant faces, Caroline could tell that this was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5

**This is shorter than normal. I'm sorry! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own them. **

Caroline sighed, patting Hope's back soothingly as she rocked back and forth in the pink rocking chair that Klaus had directed her to when the child began to cry. "A lot has happened to all of us in the past year. Should I do chronological order or person by person?" she asked.

"Whichever is faster," Rebekah said.

"Okay, I'll do person by person. In relation to Elena, she wasn't in her own body for a few weeks, and then, when she was, she wanted to drink the blood of every vampire she saw because the disease Katherine had given her took away her thirst for human blood, which would have been merciful had it not added thirst for other types of blood."

"That sounds horrid," Rebekah said, shivering. "I don't even have to like Elena in order to feel sorry for her on that one."

"Yes, she's a piece of work. Then they wanted either Stefan or Elena dead to keep something from happening. I don't know exactly what it was," Caroline said, puzzling over it.

"Did either of them die?" Elijah questioned.

"He did," Caroline said. "But we brought him back, so everything is good and well."

"Then what happened?" Rebekah demanded.

"Elena and Damon decided to be stupid and kill themselves, far from their most intelligent decision, and then, when we brought everyone back over, Damon got trapped over there and Bonnie died." Caroline sighed. "They were gone for months."

"They have returned, then?" Elijah questioned, his eyes concerned.

"Yes, they have, which is part of the reason that Damon and Elena cannot seem to stop fighting." Caroline sighed once again. "When she was in so much pain from losing him, she had Alaric erase her memories."

"Alaric? Alaric is back?" Rebekah asked, panicked.

"Yes, but he's himself again." Caroline smiled. "It means a lot to Elena that one of her guardians is back."

"I would imagine so," Elijah said softly.

Caroline's phone rang and she accepted the call. "Hey, Bon," she said tiredly. "No, everything is fine!" she said, forcing herself to sound upbeat. "How's Elena?" she questioned.

She frowned as Bonnie told her what had happened. "She and Damon break up every other day; is it even a surprise anymore?"

She sighed when Bonnie finished the statement. "Of course he did. What do you want me to do, Bonnie? It's not like I can fix it." She listened for several more moments. "Okay, then." She extended the phone to Elijah. "It's Elena," she mouthed, and he stood, nodding.

"When he comes back, will you get back to the story?" Rebekah asked, a scowl on her face.

Caroline laughed. "Yes, Rebekah, I will get back to the story."

"Good," Rebekah said with finality, a smile on her face as Hope peered at her from Caroline's arms.

"Elena will be coming later on this week," Elijah said, handing Caroline the phone.

"Why?" Klaus asked.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it's for the same reason I came here. Now be quiet so your sister doesn't murder me for not finishing my story."

Turning back to the group, she continued. "Over the months when Damon wasn't here, we were busy searching for both of the Salvatore brothers, because Stefan had taken off when he found out his brother was dead." Caroline shook her head. "I had to spend time with Damon's best friend, who is worse than him. But we found Stefan."

"Where was he?" Rebekah questioned.

"He was with a human," Caroline said softly. "Enzo, Damon's friend, killed her."

"Why?" Rebekah asked, horrified.

"Stefan upset him, and he chose to punish him by hurting the girl." Caroline sighed. "It was horrible, but Stefan returned."

"I think that's enough for now," Elijah said finally, and everyone else nodded, lost in their own worlds.

Caroline woke up the next morning and walked down the stairs, smiling at the sight of Elena on the sofa. "Hey, Lena," she greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, Care!" Elena said enthusiastically, standing and hugging her tightly. "How have you been? Are you okay?" she questioned, concern obvious in her tone.

"Yes, of course. I'm fine, Elena," Caroline said to her friend.

"Are you actually fine, or are you 'I'm-Caroline-Forbes –and-no-one-will-know-my-inner-pain' fine?" Elena questioned, her eyebrow raised.

"The first one, I promise," Caroline said, just as Klaus and Hope arrived at her side. "Hi, Hope!" she said happily to the baby, kissing her cheek before she headed into the kitchen. "Has anyone seen Hayley yet?" she questioned.

"She went to see Jackson," Rebekah replied, heading down the stairs. "Are you making anything that involves caffeine?" she questioned Caroline.

"I'm making coffee. I'm pretty sure that's all that it is," Caroline replied, smiling as Hope reached for her. "Yes, Miss Hope?" she questioned playfully, strapping her into her bouncer on the table. "Elena, have you met Hope?" she questioned.

"No, I haven't, but she's adorable," Elena said, reaching out one hand and tickling the baby's foot. "She looks like Hayley."

"She does," Elijah agreed, standing behind Elena with a hand on her shoulder. Elena smiled as she turned slightly, looking up at him.

"I need caffeine before I can tolerate this," Rebekah groaned.

"You lived without it for centuries, Rebekah," Caroline pointed out, amused.

"Yes, well, it wasn't by choice," Rebekah said, her voice muffled due to the fact that her head was in her hands. "I need coffee, Caroline!" she snapped tiredly.

"Okay, okay," Caroline laughed, pouring the other blonde a blue mug full of the steaming coffee. "Now can I make breakfast?" she questioned, arching an eyebrow at Rebekah.

"Of course you can," Rebekah said, sipping the liquid quickly before gulping the last bit and placing the mug in the sink. She playfully pinched Hope's cheek as she passed. "I'm going to call Matt," she called behind her.

Caroline shook her head, smiling. Well, she thought to herself, as was the life of the woman who chose to love the Original Hybrid.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'll update Turning Back Time soon. I promise!

Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or TO.

Enjoy and please review!

They were all awake by ten, including Hayley and Jackson, who had been spending a surprising amount of time together following their engagement. Elijah glared at Jackson for only moments before Elena, toting Hope in her arms, appeared by his side and made a smile take over his face once again.

"I feel the need to do something," Rebekah said, wandering down the stairs with Hope's coat and shoes. "Let's go out to lunch. We are in the middle of nowhere; no one will be capable of finding us here."

"It's not safe, sister," Klaus said.

"It's never safe, Nik! We have to be able to live; your daughter has to be able to live." Rebekah glared at her brother. "Hope deserves a normal life, and we have the opportunity to give her that. Hayley, agree with me."

"She's my daughter," Klaus pointed out.

"She's Hayley's, as well. Hayley, what is your opinion?" Rebekah snapped.

Hayley held up her hands in surrender. "I think that we should do what's safe. I just don't know which of you is right." She glanced at Elena, who held onto Hope tightly. "I don't think Elena is going to let anything happen, though."

Hayley smiled at Caroline's friend. Here, especially when she knew that Hope's mother was kind and giving when she could be, it was much easier for Caroline to like her. Elena seemed to have adopted the philosophy, as well, harboring no feelings of anger for the family that had tried to end her life.

"Well, she may fall," Elena defended herself, glancing at Hope. Hope patted Elena's cheeks. "Yes, you are adorable," Elena said, hoisting Hope higher in her arms. "Here you go," she said, handing the baby over to Caroline.

"Hello, princess," Caroline cooed, kissing Hope's cheek as she walked around the living room, the baby facing forward in her arms. She smiled as she rested her chin atop the tiny child's head. "Do you want to do something today?" she asked Klaus.

"Caroline, we can't. It's dangerous," Klaus sighed, kissing Caroline's forehead.

"Well, she's a baby. She doesn't understand that, and she deserves a normal life, right?" Caroline questioned.

Klaus nodded begrudgingly. "Of course she does. Hope has done absolutely nothing wrong." He glanced at his daughter. "She certainly does not deserve to live her life in fear."

Caroline looked at him expectantly and he sighed.

"Fine," he groaned. "Caroline, Rebekah, you have won. Get your things, everyone; we're going somewhere."

Caroline hoisted Hope higher in her arms, smiling as Jackson helped Hayley from the car. Their relationship, although forced, seemed to be going okay, and Hayley always seemed happy around the werewolf. A glance at Elena showed that she was happy for the couple, as well, although Caroline knew that she must feel a bit of residual anger for Hayley. Although not on purpose, the woman had at least fractured Elijah's heart, if she hadn't broken it entirely.

"We are at a restaurant," Rebekah said happily, although her eyes remained on her phone. She and Matt had been texting each other for the past hour, and now, Caroline was sure that would continue. Rebekah playfully pinched Hope's cheeks and the baby cooed, waving her hands in the air and spitting out her pacifier. "Well, I guess we know what you think of that now, don't we?" she cooed to her niece, who waved her arms in the air once again. "You are one excited child, aren't you?" she said, smiling at the baby as Caroline entered the restaurant.

"I think she is," Caroline agreed, pressing a kiss atop the child's head.

The hostess smiled as they approached. "Can I get you a table?" she questioned them.

Klaus nodded.

She smiled at him and nodded, walking away and approaching them again moments later. "If you'll follow me, we have a table ready for you. Would you like it?" she questioned.

"Yes, of course," Rebekah replied, shooting a glare at her brother before Klaus could snap at the waitress for asking pointless questions. "We need a highchair, as well," she added, gesturing to Hope, who stared up at Caroline with a smile on her face and her legs kicking rapidly.

"Of course. She's precious," the hostess said, smiling as Caroline thanked her. "I'll get you your highchair right away. Here are the menus. Your waitress should be over any second to take your drink orders."

"Thank you!" Caroline called, bouncing Hope in her arms. "Are you going to sit in a highchair?" she questioned the infant, who simply continued to suck on her pacifier contentedly. "Okay, then," Caroline laughed, lifting Hope to her shoulder and holding her close.

"I can hold her, love," Klaus said, but Caroline shook her head.

"Let Caroline," Hayley said, smiling at the woman.

"Thank you, Hayley," Caroline said, truly touched. Perhaps, now that Hayley and Jackson were well on their way to being married, which meant that Elijah was no longer being tortured by his relationship with her, they could all be friends. Hope was capable of changing the world, she thought with a smile as the waitress finally brought over the highchair.

"I'm sorry for the wait, guys. My name is Alexandra, and I will be your waitress. What can I get you to drink?" the rushed blonde asked quickly, flashing a smile at Hope as Caroline settled her in the highchair.

"I'll have sweet tea," Caroline said, and Alexandra nodded as she wrote down the order. She quickly took everyone else's orders before hurrying off into the kitchen and returning quickly with their drinks. "Here you go. Just call me if you need anything," she said, handing them a small pager.

"Thank you!" Caroline called yet again, and Alexandra nodded as Caroline began to flip through the menu. "I'm getting fettuccine Alfredo," she said, and Klaus nodded, smiling at her. "What?"

"You should take me up on that offer to see the world," he murmured to her.

She smiled at him, a dazzling, loving smile. "Maybe I will someday," she whispered to him before they turned their attention back to his family and her friends.

**A/N: If you wish to know what outfits and stuff I am dressing Hope in, feel free to check out my Pinterest account, LiveLaughLovex. The board is called 'Stages of Grief' and can be found on my main page. I will post stuff there as soon as this chapter is posted. **


	7. Chapter 7

Caroline sighed as she slipped her sunglasses off of her nose, glancing around the dark parking lot and rolling her eyes at several teenagers near the trashcans. She wished that they would stop trying to eat each other's faces, or at least take it home and not do so in front of an infant's clothing store, but she realized belatedly that would likely be too much to ask. So instead of complaining, she circled around to Hope's side of the vehicle and lifted her out, placing her in the stroller that Klaus had already grabbed. Strapping her in, she smoothed a hand over the baby's hair and smiled when Hope tried to grab for a handful of curls.

"Those aren't yummy, Miss Hope," she said softly, disentangling her platinum locks from between the infant's fingers. "Come on, let's go shopping," she said happily. Hope gurgled delightedly but had no other reaction to Caroline's excitement.

A meal out had led to a trip to the mall, and although Caroline had bought several things there, she wanted to buy more. She loved Hope as if she was her own daughter, despite the fact that she, at one point, could not stand the child's mother, and she wanted the baby to know how loved she was. Hayley and Jackson had been agreeable; Hayley even said that it would be great for Hope to get used to being alone with Klaus and Caroline, as the wedding would take much of her attention away from her child.

"Are you ready to go in, love?" Klaus asked softly, and she glanced up from the baby, smiling at the infant's father. Klaus had been agreeable and kind for the entire trip to the store, but she knew that he longed for their coming conversation. She also knew that he was ready to go insane. Then again, he was Klaus. The man should have been in a mental asylum before mental asylums existed. According to some of Rebekah's stories, he may have been the reason they did exist.

"Yes, I suppose," she said, smiling as Klaus pushed the stroller into the brightly-lit store. Rows of pink, blue, purple, yellow, and the palest and brightest shades of green imaginable surrounded her. She stared at the shoes, the headbands, bows, clothing, bibs, and blankets that lined shelves and hung from displays. Hope simply sucked on her pacifier, content to be in her stroller no matter how bright it was inside the store.

"You look out of your element," Klaus chuckled, and she spun around to look at him, beaming.

"I don't go into baby stores much. I have no reason to," she said simply, glancing around her at the pacifiers and bottles on a separate aisle. "What size does she wear?" she questioned, and Klaus glanced at her before bending down and glancing in the diaper bag.

"The sleeper says three to six months," he supplied, and she nodded, glancing around.

"Well, we'll get her three to six and six to nine. That should be enough to last for a while. Anyway, I'm sure Rebekah has a secret supply of clothing somewhere anyway," Caroline chuckled, shuffling through the racks and discovering some outfits she thought would be adorable on Hope.

"Really?" Klaus asked skeptically when she held up a white, lacy dress. It was precious to her, but Klaus failed to see the practicality of it. Perhaps there was none, but it was still precious.

"Girls wear five inch heels all the time, Klaus. It's more practical than that," she pointed out.

"I suppose you're correct," he conceded, although his smile and dimples showed he had no problems with being proven wrong, at least not by her. "Are you about ready?" he questioned.

She glanced in their nearly-full basket before she nodded. "Yes, although I need to look at headbands and shoes," she said, walking away towards that section.

Over five hundred dollars and thirty minutes later, Caroline carried Hope in her arms while Klaus pushed the stroller full of their bags. Hope had woken from her nap just as they left the store, which meant that she was up and upset about being awoken before she truly needed to be. She seemed content in Caroline's arms, though, which was all that really mattered to Klaus.

"Do you think they'll be awake when we get back?" Caroline asked, smoothing a soothing hand down Hope's back.

"Perhaps Elijah and Elena will be, but Hayley and Jackson most likely will not. They seem to be getting on quite well."

"They have to. Hayley wants to be a mother to Hope, and she can't do that safely if she doesn't marry Jackson. It's about as unfair as it gets, but that's still what has to happen." Caroline smiled at Klaus when he held open the door and allowed her to strap Hope into her car seat. "Thank you."

"Of course, love," Klaus said quietly, smiling as Caroline slid into her own seat. "Home?" he questioned as he, too, climbed in, turning the key in the ignition.

She glanced over at him, smiling. "Home. I like the sound of that," she whispered as they turned towards the place that had become their home so quickly.

**A/N: It's short, about 100 fewer words than I try to aim for, but I hope you like it. Look for an update on 'Turning Back Time' in the next week or less. I hope you enjoyed it, and please remember to review! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello! I'm going to try to update my other story later on today, but I got ideas for this one first. For those of you waiting for the other update, I'm very sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave a comment. I love reading them, and four comments for over a thousand views is making me nervous! **

**Side Note: For those of you with Tumblr, I now have one. www. livetolaughandlovefanfiction . tumblr. com (Warning: You may hate me by the end, because I post a bunch of stuff about the royals. I do quotes and stuff from the Klaroline relationship though, so pleas check it out!)**

The house was completely dark when they arrived home, a squalling Hope cradled close to Caroline's chest in a hopeless attempt to comfort the infant. A quick glance at the baby showed that her teeth were coming in, often a cause for discomfort in the days of infancy, and so Caroline simply patted the baby's back and carried her up the stairs of the plantation-style home's porch.

Klaus held the door open, a smile on his features as he walked towards the sofa where Elena and Elijah sat, both of their eyes focused on the movie flashing across the television. Elena looked content as she smiled at the unrealistic vampire-based movie. Elijah looked as if he was doubting human comprehension as he tried to understand why anyone would ever eat this nonsense about vampires sparkling.

They both glanced up at the same time when a squalling Hope was brought to their attention, both turning around and smiling at Caroline's apologetic look. Elena stood slowly from the sofa, walking to the corner and taking Hope from Caroline's grip. Elijah's eyes followed his love, a content smile on his face.

"Have Hayley and Jackson gone to bed?" Rebekah, dressed to the nines and looking as if she was arriving at a gala instead of at her own home, walked into the living room, her hair perfectly braided and curled into an intricate upswept style. Dangling earrings hung from her ears, and her dress was a pale peach color made of silk, lace, and a diamond-covered midsection.

"Yes," Elena answered, her focus on the baby in her arms. "How is Marcel?" she questioned, and Rebekah sighed as she sat on the sofa, crossing her legs and revealing high heels that made her at least four inches taller than she normally was.

"He's quite all right. We had a disagreement, of course, as we always do, but I am led to believe our friendship is intact. Speaking of which, have any of you spoken to Matt recently?" she questioned, glancing at Elena and then at Caroline.

"He texted me," Elena offered, handing Rebekah her phone as she balanced Hope in her arms. "You could just tell him how you feel, you know," she said to the blonde.

"I could, Elena, but does that seem like a smart idea? Then he will know, and what if he's not over Nadia and her death? That seems hardly fair to him."

"Your brother flirted with me when I had a boyfriend." Caroline glanced over at Klaus, smiling at his offended look. "I'm very glad you did, Nik, I was just saying."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Fine, I suppose I will call him." She walked up the stairs, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors as she approached the staircase and ascended it.

Elijah and Elena glanced at each other before he stood, taking his hand and placing it on the small of her back as she handed over a sleepy Hope to her father. "We're going to retire for the evening. Good night," Elijah said as he and Elena walked up the stairs, as well, leaving Klaus and Caroline on their own.

Caroline smiled as she glanced over at Klaus as he held his daughter close. "She's absolutely perfect, you know. She doesn't know anything about how cruel the world can be." The nostalgia in Caroline's voice reminded him that although the woman before him was strong, that didn't mean there weren't unbroken parts of her soul.

"You do," he said softly.

Caroline glanced at him before looking away. "I know she's not my daughter, you know, but I want her to be able to look at the world innocently. I don't want her to know how cruel the world can be, how cruel fate can be, how cruel her fellow human beings can be. Maybe I want her to grow up ignorant and arrogant of the world around her, but at least if she is arrogant and ignorant of the world she'll be the same of pain, and that is all I could wish for any child on this planet." Caroline lifted the baby from Klaus's arms. "I would give anything to go back to the time when I hadn't lost so many people, when my greatest concern was whether or not I would have a date to prom."

Caroline laughed without amusement. "I can't go back to that world, though, because I live in this world. This world where my father was brutally murdered twice and chose to leave me instead of becoming a monster as he thought I had. This world that thinks that Elena Gilbert did anything wrong enough to lose her mother, her father, her aunt, her guardian, and her brother again and again, and then to be yanked away from your brother for so long that she forgot what love was." Caroline's voice began to shake as she spoke again. "This world that took away my mother as if that were its job, as if she wasn't one of the reasons I drew breath." She sobbed into her hands. "I want to spare Hope that world, Niklaus."

"Caroline," he breathed, stroking her hair. "I promise you, we will. Okay? With your help, we will."

He held her tightly in his arms, Hope cradled in hers, and let her wet his shirt with the tears that she had been holding in for far too long.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Two chapters in one day! Yea! Unfortunately, I didn't get to write anything from TBT yet, but I promise it will be soon! I had so much to do yesterday. Le sigh. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! **

**Tumblr: LivetoLaughandLoveFanfiction**

**Pinterest: LiveLaughLovex**

There was much to do the next day, and it was extremely difficult for Caroline to sit still. She held Hope on the front porch of the house, swaying back and forth as she glanced around. Hayley and Jackson had left several hours before to continue planning their wedding. Elena and Elijah were both peacefully asleep, and Klaus had been working on something in his office for the entirety of the day, which meant that Caroline and Hope were on their own for forms of entertainment.

Caroline lifted Hope into the baby swing and pushed the baby girl gently, smiling as Hope patted her cheeks and squealed as she was pushed again. "It's fun, isn't it?" she questioned the baby, smiling as she ticked Hope's foot, which caused her to giggle.

"Rebekah just left to go to Mystic Falls. She may be bloody mad." Klaus sighed as he approached the two of them.

"She's in love. There's a difference," Caroline corrected.

"I suppose. Do you want to go with her?" he questioned.

"What?" she laughed in disbelief.

"It's safer there, of course, and we might as well. Elijah and Elena wanted to go, as well. They're awake. We could go for several days, perhaps a week, get a break from all of this."

Caroline glanced over at Hope. "She doesn't have clothes…"

"Yes, she does. Hayley packed for her, and Rebekah is about to pack for you. We can buy anything you don't take for either of you."

"Hayley is okay with this?"

"Caroline, Hayley isn't going to be much of a mother for Hope soon. She can't rule over werewolves and raise a small child. That's one of the reasons she was so relieved when you came. You also helped bring Elena and Elijah together, which made him happy. I don't know why that matters, seeing as it was her who broke him, but I suppose it makes some semblance of sense. You are going to be the closest thing Hope has to a mother. Hayley knew that, and yet she allowed you close to her daughter, which means you have her trust. And believe me, that is a hard thing to gain."

"She trusted me to raise her child? My mom barely trusted my father to help raise me. Then again, he cheated on her all the time and called her words not worth repeating." Caroline smiled over at Hope. "Fine, let's pack our bags. Mystic Falls is waiting."

They were halfway there when Caroline realized she was heading back to the place where she had lost her mother. She wanted to turn around and never look back, but how could she? She sat facing forward, her eyes wide and filling with tears. The only strength she was given was Klaus's hand in hers, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over her wrist. That was all she needed.

"Barbie, you went off and had a baby," Damon said happily as he hugged her, smiling at Hope. Of course he knew who the baby was, but he was just pretending. Then again, if Elena could forgive Klaus for trying to kill her, he supposed he should try to forgive the hybrid, as well.

"This is Hope Rebekah," Caroline introduced, holding Hope so that she faced towards the crowd of people. "Have you been busy?"

"Yeah, kind of. Stefan and Alaric are inside. Did you hear the news?"

"What news?" she questioned as she toted Hope in.

"Alaric knocked up a girl," he said sarcastically, causing Alaric and Jo to glare at him. "They're having a kid. And they're getting married. What's up with that?"

"This thing called love. Congratulations!" Caroline said happily, shifting Hope in her arms carefully. "I hope everything works out, and you better invite me to the wedding!" she teased as she walked towards the sofa and settled Hope on it.

"Elena," Damon said tensely as the dark-haired doppelganger entered the room, her hand in Elijah's.

"Hey," Elena said softly as she sat next to Caroline and Hope on the sofa. "Where are Bonnie and Jeremy?"

"Bonnie is upstairs at the moment, and Jeremy is wherever he is at this exact moment. I don't actually know." Damon glanced around. "How long did it take to get here?"

"Nearly an entire day," Caroline said as she shifted Hope in her arms yet again. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure no one followed you. Not many people like everyone sitting in this room. Including her," he said, sighing when Rebekah walked in, Matt close behind her.

"Nice to see you too, Damon." She sat next to Matt on the sofa, flashing Damon a sarcastic smile as Matt patted her knee soothingly.

_Well, this is going to be fun. _Caroline sighed and smiled as she held Hope closer, preparing herself for the madness soon to come.


	10. Chapter 10

There was laughter in the air when Caroline stood, patting Hope's back as she did so. Her friends and family seemed close enough to not try to murder each other in her absence, and so she walked towards the front door. And, since he was who he was and would never change, Klaus stood, his hand finding the small of her back as he caught up to her, a look of concern on his face as she pulled open the door and exited the home.

She breathed in the cool winter air, turned to face him with a smile upon her face. She balanced Hope in her arms, careful to support her head due to the position in which she was holding the child, and then stood staring out at the town she had grown up living in, out at the streets she had played on, laughed on, been injured on.

"My mom taught me how to ride my back on this road. I was six years old, scared out of my mind, and I begged her not to let go until I was ready. She said she wouldn't, and she didn't." Caroline brushed a strand of hair from her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sometimes I wish life was like that, like riding a bike. At least you know that if you fall, it'll hurt and there's always an end to the ride." She sighed as she glanced down at Hope.

"I know it hurts, Caroline," Klaus said. "My mother hated my existence. I was the symbol of her ultimate shame and sin, but I was around your mother when you were ill, and she was the epitome of a loving and caring mother. She didn't deserve to die any more than you deserved to lose her."

"Life isn't fair, though, is it? It's not about what we deserve. Your mother tried to brutally murder all six of her children, six innocent children who didn't do anything until she changed them into what you are, and then she tried to kill Hope, a true innocent who has done nothing but bring light and joy into this world. And she's still alive, Klaus, as she always has been." Caroline stared out at the road once again.

"Are you all right?" he questioned softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

She smiled, nodded, and walked towards the steps. "I want to take Hope to meet my mother, if that's all right?" she said, and Klaus nodded wordlessly, heading inside to get the keys.

There was nobody at the cemetery, no one there to stalk them or to make Caroline cry more than she inevitably would. Hope slept in Caroline's arms, her smile angelic as she cuddled into the blonde woman's grasp, and Caroline sighed as she walked towards the headstone underneath which her mother laid.

"Hi, Momma," she said softly, stooping down and helping Hope stand on wobbly legs in front of the grave. "This is Hope, Klaus's daughter. You'd love her. I know you would." Caroline sniffled as she shifted, the baby now higher up in her arms so her feet weren't against the cold ground. "It's really hard without you, you know. It hurts so bad when I remember. But I told you I would be all right without you, and I am, Momma. I've learned that not wanting to lose someone doesn't mean you can't live without them, but that doesn't mean I'm okay. I honestly don't know if I'll ever be okay."

She sighed as she glanced towards the sky. "Elena's happy, Mom. She's away from Damon and Stefan and she fell in love. You would be happy with her choices. I hope you're happy with mine. Alaric and Jo, Mom, they're having a baby. I know you'll watch over her. Keep her safe up there, okay? Keep a close eye on her. With her mother and father, she's going to need all the help she can get." She breathed out deeply. "And don't forget me, Mommy. I know you're there in heaven, with no health problems and no pain, and I still want you to remember me, which is so selfish, but I will never forget you, so please don't forget me."

With that, she turned in Klaus's arms and held the baby close as she let several tears leak from her eyes, their wetness dotting his jacket as she sobbed for the loss of all that had been good. Then, as his arms tightened around her, she remembered that she still had him. So perhaps it wasn't all lost.


	11. Chapter 11

There was peace to be found in those moments, the moments where she knew that her mother was in a place where pain was absent and joy was present. It would make it much easier to teach Hope ideals when she herself believed in them, and she had known for years that her mother believed everything she had taught her. To trust those who have proven they can be trusted and deny those who cannot, to love fiercely, deeply, and without reserve, to accept pain with grace and kindness, and to be the person that she had been raised to be since the moment her first wail had echoed throughout the hospital's walls.

Hope reached for a piece of her hair. Sighing, Caroline carefully disentangled the lock from the baby's fingers. Staring at the moon, which was at a crescent, she thought of what life had been here, where she had grown up and known the name of nearly everybody that she passed on the streets.

She had been popular, yes, even throughout her human days, and she had always been kind to most of those whom crossed her path. But she had also been cruel to people who, to that day, considered her to be their friends. She more than once tried to steal Stefan away from Elena during her human days, and she had slept with Damon to hurt her friends more than anything else.

"I was a different person here," she said suddenly to Klaus, who paused his steps and spun around to look at her.

"What do you mean, love?" he questioned.

"I was cruel, and I was unfair, and I didn't care about other people. I don't want that to be who I am when we leave and go back to Louisiana, Klaus. If your daughter is being raised to rule a supernatural empire, then we will raise her to rule a supernatural empire. We will raise her with grace, with intelligence, and with kindness. If I'm going to be her mother because Hayley cannot be, then I need to raise her the way that my mother raised me when I wasn't paying attention."

"Okay," Klaus said. "She will be kind, and charitable, and graceful, and loving. She has you as an example, Caroline. She couldn't fail at any of those if you were to raise her."

"She'll be strong, too."

"You are very strong," he agreed as they walked towards their car once again.

"No, I was talking about you."

Klaus shot her a confused glance. "What do you mean, love? I'm not nearly as strong as you are. I may be physically strong, but I cannot handle rejection in the manner in which you do. You accept it. I commit murders if people refuse to tell me what I wish to hear."

"You were strong enough to leave."

"Caroline, I have no idea what you're talking about. That seems to be a continuing occurance."

"You were in love with me, Klaus. You loved me, and yet you didn't try to influence my decision to attend college here, you didn't try to influence my decision not to fly across the country with you. You were stronger than I could have been in that situation, Klaus. You saw that I wasn't ready and you didn't pressure me to be. You loved me from a distance until I was ready to be with you, and that requires strength that I cannot begin to fathom."

"Ah, you're in Advanced English courses, aren't you?" he questioned with a smirk, trying to forget the kind words she had just uttered.

"Shakespearean Literature, thank you very much, and that has nothing to do with anything that I just said. You are the strongest person I have met." She smiled at him. "And that is a quality that I want Hope to have, as well. People can be cruel, and I never want her to doubt how beautiful she truly is."

The lights had long since been turned off when they arrived back at the boardinghouse. Stefan and Damon had gone to bed around midnight, according to Rebekah and Elena, the only two who were still downstairs when they arrived back at the home, and Elijah had lasted until eleven before the awkwardness of the situation had driven him to bed. Elena had stayed up with Rebekah to watch the latest Channing Tatum movie before she had headed up to bed, and, five minutes after they had arrived home, following her kissing and hugging her niece, Rebekah had gone to bed, as well.

"So," Caroline said, leaning against the kitchen doorway, "Don't you think we need to discuss this?"

"What do we need to discuss, love?" Klaus asked, distracted. His focus was on his daughter.

"You asked me to raise your kid, Klaus, and now you're wondering what I'm talking about? What am I to you?" she snapped, annoyed.

"You're the light and the beauty in my world of darkness, Caroline," he said, his eyes on her. "I would never want you to feel unwanted. This is difficult for me, as well. I was without you for months, and now you are in my life once again and I am unaware of how you wish for me to act. I have a daughter now, and I have no idea how you feel about that, yet I asked you to give up your future and leave your home forever to raise her."

"I love Hope. God, of course I love Hope. She is not a problem, she's a blessing, and I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to raise her. It is not how I feel about Hope that is the problem here, it's how I feel about you!"

"How you feel about me?" Klaus questioned.

"YES! God, for being over a thousand years old, you're ignorant! I didn't come to Louisiana because I wanted to be with a friend. I could have stayed here and been with Elena, Damon, and Stefan if that was what I wanted! I came to Louisiana because when I thought of what I wanted in my life, who I wanted to love for the rest of eternity, yours was the only name that came to mind. I wanted you, Klaus. I still want you, and I want to raise your daughter with you, and I want to be as happy as I have been every moment I have ever spent with you. Is that too much to ask?"

"No," Klaus murmured, his eyes not leaving hers as he stroked her cheek. "That's never too much to ask." 

Her breath was taken away by his kiss, which lasted for five seconds until a wail reminded them that they were not alone.


	12. Chapter 12

In less than two decades of life, Caroline Beth Forbes had been dealt a rough hand. Her father had left her when she was only a small child, and her mother had struggled along without him. She had been emotionally damaged and rejected again and again, which led to her disturbingly haunting relationship with the eldest Salvatore, and, due to her association with him and with Elena, she had been suffocated one night by a woman who had taken absolutely no time to gain any knowledge of her.

She and her mother had never truly gotten along, but the death of her father and her transition into a vampire certainly didn't help. In fact, she often wondered how Elizabeth had been able to cope with a transitioning daughter and a dying ex-husband in such a short span of time. Then again, her mother was insanely strong.

So she had doubted that Fate was cheering her on, but she had never truly thought it hated her. After all, most of her friends were alive, her love life was going about as well as could be expected of a college girl dating a werewolf whom she wasn't positive she loved anymore, and she was excelling in her studies.

The first time she had any inkling that Fate could possibly hate her accompanied news relayed to her by a bitter and exhausted Tyler, news that the man who she loved had reproduced a daughter with another woman. Yes, Hope was adorable, bright, and a ray of sunshine for all who met her, but, at the time, Caroline hadn't been able to stomach the idea of her. She was existing proof that Klaus hadn't loved Caroline enough to wait.

After a while, though, Caroline recalled that she had told Klaus to back off again and again, and, when given time to truly think about it, she realized that she was in love with him. Hope would become an important aspect of her life because she was an important aspect of his, and she would love the tiny child as if she were her own. It was the only thing that helped her to maintain her sanity and reason when she was driving down the road, headed in the direction of the South with absolutely no idea what she was going to do when she arrived.

But when Hope's piercing wails pierced the quiet night air, when Klaus's lips pulled away from hers with a wry smile curling them upwards, she knew that Fate had it out for her.

Sighing, she scooped Hope into her arms, rubbing the child's back soothingly as she stared out the window. Hope showed no signs of quieting anytime soon, her wails loud and seemingly permanent as they pieced Caroline's ears and made her grow even more exhausted than she previously was.

"Okay, what do you say we go to Care's old haunt? Does that sound fun?" she cooed to the baby, who calmed down as soon as the words were uttered. "Looks like we'll be driving tonight, Klaus," she said to the man next to her, who nodded.

"Yes, she does seem to do that a lot," he mused, placing his hand on the small of Caroline's back and leading her towards their waiting vehicle. "How many old haunts do you have?" he questioned as he helped her in.

"A lot. I used to avoid my dad's house during the weekends, and since he had a legal right to see me, I'd make up excuses, make up excuses to my mom, and then drive away for the entire weekend. They didn't ever call, probably because I told them I was hiking and that Elena was going with me and she would stay inside for the entire weekend."

Klaus smiled. "My daughter will probably behave like that."

"Oh, she will. It's part of every teenage girl's stages in life. We hide until we feel as if we will be accepted, and my parents couldn't stand each other, which is why I'm glad you and Hayley can at least pretend to like each other. Trust me, growing up with a mother and father who don't like each other sucks." She strapped Hope into her car seat and spun around, smiling at Klaus. "Let's go an adventure, why don't we?" she said.

And that was what they did.


	13. Chapter 13

During the earliest years of adolescence, when Caroline Forbes often spent hours at a time away from the home in which her parents were waging a brutal war for and against their marriage and for their child, the only daughter they had ever been given and the daughter whom spent much time away from her own home due to the coldness with which her mother treated her father and the cruelty with which her father treated her mother.

She didn't truly know why the end of their marriage was ending, nor did she think to ask about it at the time. Her mother was often furious when she arrived home from her schooling, mumbling to herself or screaming angrily into the phone over things that Caroline couldn't find much importance in. When her father was home, he wasn't actually there in anything other than a physical way, and, eventually, Caroline stopped speaking to him at all when he was home.

She wasn't surrounded by hatred, of course, as there were always people who spent their time entertaining her and protecting her from the reality of her mother's battle for a failing marriage. Her father had given up, of course, having accepted who he was, but her mother couldn't understand why he had lied for so long. And, of course, Caroline's father was unable to explain his reasoning to anyone.

The people at the very top of the list were Elena's parents, Miranda and Grayson. She often went to his practice in the afternoons and he would let her hold the babies of sick patients with their approval or allow her to help him with his signature even though everyone knew that he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. Miranda would bake cupcakes and other sweets when Elizabeth forgot Caroline's birthday and would sneak over in the earliest hours of the day to drop them off at the Forbes family home. Aside from her biological parents, Miranda and Grayson were the closest thing she had to family.

Despite this, though, she still often chose to hide from reality, as it was the easiest path imaginable. Her mother and father were ending their marriage, and her father was leaving, although he claimed not to be leaving her. He was leaving all of them, and nothing was going to stop him.

So, with this knowledge, she spent much of her time in the capitol city of the state. She would call a cab and have them drive her to eateries, libraries, or anywhere else that she could enjoy herself without her mother or father, and she would spend hours there, reading or writing or laughing at comedians.

It was this place that she chose to take Klaus, her hand clasping his tightly as they walked through the doors of the mall in the capitol. It was nearly empty, as it was nearly three in the morning, but Caroline still found the bookstore, a place that stayed open all hours of the day, and walked in.

"Caroline," the woman behind the counter greeted. "It's been a while since you were in here. How are you? Is this your daughter?"

"Oh," Caroline said, glancing at Klaus, who nodded. She turned back to the woman with a smile upon her face. "Yes, it is. Her name is Hope."

"That's a beautiful name," the woman said, grinning at them. "What can I do for you?"

"I actually don't know."

"Well, the café next door still sells those amazing milkshakes, and they're open all hours, as well, so go on and get one and then come back and browse."

"I think we will do that. Klaus?" she questioned her boyfriend as she cradled the baby closer to her.

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Klaus said, his proper British accent making her want to laugh. He obviously knew how to be polite, she pondered, but she was often happy he chose not to.

Caroline held Hope close to her as they entered the small café and ordered chocolate milkshakes. Hope began to fuss a bit, which caused Caroline to pull out some formula and a bottle and ask the waiter, a young man with kind eyes and a bright smile, to fill the bottle with warm water. He did as bid, but Klaus tested the water with a fingertip to make sure it wasn't laced with vervain.

"You know, sweetheart, you're extremely paranoid," she said, mixing the bottle together quickly before feeding the baby.

"If you trust people, love, they are too often the wrong people, and I have been bitten too many times not to be shy." Klaus sighed as he glanced at his daughter. "There are many enemies who would happily harm her in order to break me."

"And what does that mean?" Caroline said.

"It is of no matter." Klaus's eyes glittered dangerously. "I am entirely too bloodthirsty for them to even consider being offered any form of mercy." He laughed without humor. "After all, the death of a man who dares to harm the heiress to a throne should be full of humiliation."

Caroline smiled as she realized what his daughter meant to him. She had known he cared for his daughter, of course, but there was such devotion and dedication in that moment that there was absolutely no denying it.

"So," Caroline said, lacing her arm through his as they approached his home in the city she had grown up in, "are you ready for this?"

"For you?"

"For my quirks and my panic attacks and my often irrational anger, Klaus. You can't claim to love all of me and get parts of me, and those are parts of me. Those are parts of me that are flawed, and incapable of being repaired, but they still make me who I am."

"Caroline Forbes," he breathed, his eyes on her face before they closed, "as if your flaws are anything but perfection."

"No, I bite my nails and read horrible romance novels and cry over movies that everyone else finds funny. I'll make you watch Mean Girls and The Notebook and The Fault in our Stars and you'll think I'm insane."

"Caroline," he laughed, his eyes on hers. "I knew you were flawed when I fell in love with you. If you're trying to scare me away, it's not working."

"Everyone else ran," she murmured.

"What are you talking about, love?" he questioned.

"When they saw my flaws, everyone else ran. I guess I'm just expecting you to do the same."

"I have stood against armies who have wished death upon myself and my followers, Caroline. Your flaws are the nearest thing to perfection and beauty I have ever seen."

And Caroline learned, in that moment, that the most flawed people became perfect in the eyes of their lovers.

**A/N: Again, sorry for the horrid wait! I would like it known I wrote this several days before I actually was able to post it, so I had to wait, as well! I'm sorry!**


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